Addicted to Everything Bookish

Unboxing: Book Riot’s YA bookmail box July 2016

I threatened that I would in an earlier blog post, but I actually followed through and got my hand on the YA bookmail box from Book Riot.

This box is sold by Bookriot, one of my favourite places for bookish news.

There was no theme to this box—except that it was YA.

The box costs $60, and there is no shipping fee-not even for international customers. Bookriot also promises that the contents of the box always will exceed the $60 you’ve paid.

Furthermore, this box is not a subscription box, and it is not monthly. To get your hands on one, you should sign up for the newsletter and wait patiently until it becomes available.

There’s also other boxes available.

So… What did I get?

An incredibly sturdy totebag with a quote from “The Walls Aroound Us”. The floral print is pretty and there’s even a small mini pocket inside for keys or other small things.

– I am generally not a big fan of totebags. I don’t use them. And when they’re pretty, I can’t bear to wear them down. I also don’t know the book where the quote is from.

Some bookish buttons from boygirlparty. With pins on the bag, I suppose they could match the totebag.

-they’re cute, though.

A scented reading nook candle from Off The Page.

– Honestly, my candle collection is starting to. Grow at a concerning rate. I don’t even like candles… (I’m afraid of fire).

“If I Was Your Girl” by Meredith Russo + signed book plate.

This book sounds good, and I am sorta hoping that Book Riot’s hint that the cover model is transgender means something to the book.

– Also, is it bad that it took me this long to realize that the book plates are supposed to go inside the book?

“The New Guy (And Other Senior Distractions)” by Amy Spalding + signed bookmark.

– This book also sounds good, although I’m guessing it’s a lighter read than the other book.

Thoughts:

I am absolutely sure that the contents are worth more than the $60 I paid. It’s clear to see that the totebag is made of good material, and that it can hold quite a weight.

With that said, the books was my favorite thing about the box. I like that there were two books, and that they both seems like summer reads.

However, I am sorta meh about the bookish goods. Two of the items are something I doubt I’ll use, and I don’t recognise the quote.

To further add to it, Book Riot doesn’t factor international taxes into their calculations at check out, which means that I had to pay an additional $39 where around $24 of them could have been avoided if there had been factored taxes into the total price. (Danish VAT is at 25%)

So, for almost $100, I don’t think the contents are worth the total cost. At least not for me.

Perhaps if the VAT was charged at checkout I’d be more inclined to keep ordering this box, but as it is now… It just isn’t worth it.

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16 thoughts on “Unboxing: Book Riot’s YA bookmail box July 2016”

I agree, I don’t think this is worth 100 dollars at all. It’s nice, don’t get me wrong but not 100 dollars sort of nice. Although I have to express my shock at you saying you don’t use these bags!! I couldn’t live without! I used to really like candles, but now I have cats and am certain that provided one is on the way they would set themselves on fire 🙂 so no candles for me haha xxx

I’m sure it’s worth 60 dollars, and the free shipping did help. But considering the adddd cost for me, I just don’t think it’ll be something I chose to order again.

For Americans I’m sure it’s good. But for international people? Meh.

And, I don’t really walk around with stuff. Lol. I mean… We got tons that we use for groceries (or my roommate does) but the bookish bags would never go with me to such a place. So I’m just here with an—albeit pretty—essential useless tote bag. I got one in the fairyloot box too, which isn’t as sturdy as this one.

It also don’t help that I don’t know the book. I mean… Had it been a quote from one of the books I got in the box, it’d be different. And while its a nice quote, it doesn’t mean anything to me.

As for candles… When I was at boarding school, I had this super pretty blue gel candle. But I don’t know if it got dusty or something, but when I finally lit it, it exploded—glass and all. I also recently quit smoking (a year ago) and I got rid of lighters to avoid being reminded and tempted.

And now I got three bookish candles. And I also have a cat… A cat who likes to walk on EVERYTHING.

They do smell nice, though. And especially the “Rowan” candle that I got in my nerdybookworm box redeems itself because it sorta enhances the reading when you can literally smell the character. But the other two? They’re nice enough but I don’t feel anything towards them as such.

I use these linen bags for groceries and to bring my lunch to work all the time, doesn’t even matter if it’s bookish or not, they wash really well! Just live wild haha I get what you mean about the quite, but maybe this will make you read that book for the sake of the bag (haha) and you’ll end up loving it! You never know xx
As for the price I still don’t know. You wouldn’t pay 60$ for 2 books and a bag I think it’s a bit overpriced so what it was. I mean I know the bag was of a less quality in thenerdybookworm but the whole box only cost 29 pounds. (still pricey. Everything is expensive and life is depressing haha)
My cats are absolute nightmare and so curious about anything and everything that there’s no chance of me litting a candle and avoiding animal cruelty. Oh man I cqan’t believe your candle exploded I wasn’t even aware that can handle! I only had a light bulb explode randomly and I do still sometimes turn on the lights quite wearily 😀

Lol. XD cute. Its just a luxury problem really. I scanned all my books into a book catalogue and it occurred to me that I have no idea what I actually own. 😁 and my problem is that I don’t know what I’m in the mood for xD

I got my interest for books back last December. Sincr then I’ve probably bought like… 490 books. it’s just… So many new books have been released. But there’s also my old favorites. And then there’s the ones on sale. And the ones who are pretty. Etc. Etc. Etc. Sigh. And I still have at least 9 bookboxes to receive in August and September. 🙈

But it’s so exciting! I forgot how it feels to read not for uni but since I graduated now I can, though was not caught by a good story for a while so just didn’t read. But I just finished the first part of the book that is getting me back into it and I cannot be happier! I know, and it’s so hard not to buy new ones! Especially those pretty ones, I have a spot for that and I do tend to judge the book by it’s cover and not ashamed by it. I mean if the author chose the cover and he/she likes it and I do, chances are we have something in common! Not as a rule obviously, some books are amazing and no cover will change that and some look amazing and are just awful to read! Ah, the excitement. Especially when you go into charity shops and it’s so cheap and so good 😀

From what I gather, the author rarely has much say in the covers with trad published books. Not to mention all the different editions too. I do judge by the cover too. Especially since I also use them for bookstagram. XD

For me, I began writing my own fiction. And because I was afraid I might be a bit “too” inspired, I stayed away from readinf until last year. It took a while to get through my slump. But eventually my reading speed came back xD